In many ways, the circumstances in Red Hook were ideal for conducting
a large survey. A large cadre of community members was ready to go door
to door. It is a relatively small, well-defined community, making it
easier to reach every corner of the neighborhood. Further, on-staff researchers
were available to help design the survey and analyze the results.

However, it is possible to conduct a survey with far fewer resources.
There are numerous ways to approach a surveyfrom a professional
project conducted by consultants (as in Vermont) to less formal initiatives
(like the youth survey carried out by teenagers in Denver). In West Palm
Beach, Florida, a survey of 60 residents helped community court planners
develop a community service program. Likewise, the youth survey in Denver
helped highlight teenagers top community concerns: crime (including
graffiti, gangs, and shootings) and quality-of-life problems (such as
cleaner alleys, better street lighting, and improved traffic controls).
In response, members of the Denver district attorneys youth empowerment
team are trying to have more stop signs installed in the neighborhood
and are organizing neighborhood cleanups.

When it is well executed, a survey can build planners knowledge
about a community, cultivate the goodwill of stakeholders, nurture partnerships,
and measure a programs effectiveness over time. Combined with other
methods of community outreachsuch as convening focus groups, attending
meetings of neighborhood organizations, and creating community advisory
boardsa survey can help ensure that a community justice project
makes the neighborhood safer by building stronger ties between criminal
justice agencies and the communities they serve.